Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus. To be more specific, the invention relates to an endoscope apparatus which projects a fringe pattern or the like on a subject to thereby measure the three dimensional shape of the surface of the subject.
Description of Related Art
Heretofore, in order to inspect a subject, there is used an endoscope provided with an elongated insertion unit, the distal end of which has an optical system or an observation device such as image capturing device. An endoscope is known that obtains several fringe images, in which a fringe pattern is projected on a subject, while displacing the phase of the fringe pattern, and calculates the three dimensional shape of the subject by a commonly known phase shifting method, using these several fringe images.
For example, U.S. Patent Application, Publication No. 2009/0225333 discloses an endoscope apparatus provided with a light source for illuminating an observation viewing field, and a light source for projecting a fringe pattern. The both light sources are for illuminating white light, and the illumination light sources are controlled to switch off with a shutter when the fringe pattern is projected.